Rotary explosive-engine.



O. P. EDQVIST. ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLIUATION FILED DE(1.18,1911. RENEWED 111:0. 7, 1912.

1,108,980, Patented Sept. 1,1914.

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O. F. EDQVIST. ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINEv APPLICATION FILED DEU.18, 1911 RENEWED DEC. 7,1912.

1,108,980. Patented Sept.1,1914.

5 SHEETS SHEET 2. 4/

. 8440a wfoz 1 V1 Mwoo /o O. P. EDQVIST.

' ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DBC.1B, 1911. RENEWED DEC. 7 1912.

1,108,980. Patented Sept. 1, 1914 5 SHEETS SHEET 3;

4% 5/ J \I I 1 I 6 2 v [I 6 I1 wuamioz /vvtmeooeo 1 3 g @Hoz 1421a,

O. P. EDQVIST.

ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLIGATION FILED DEO.1B, 1911. RENEWED DBO; 7,1912.

1,108,980. Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEBT 4.

12W 1 5 Gum/m1;

O. F. EDQVIST. ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLIOATION.FILED DEG.18, 1911. RENEWED DEO,7,1912.

1 1 08,980. Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

$6, I I I J Wane/two Q WIHIII I y I Illlllllll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

9 -01 I. QVIST, 0E DENY-EB, QOBOBADO.

speclflcatton of, Letters Patent.

Application-filed December 18, 1911, Serial 110136638. Renewed December 7, 1912. Serial No. 735,542.

To all whom it may concern 'Colorado, have invented-certain new and useful-Improvements in Rotary Explosive- Engines; and I do dcclare'the following to be a fuIL-clear, and exact description of the inyention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains' to make and use'thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which iorm a part of this specification.

'Myinvention relates to improvements in rotary explosive engines of the general character set forth in my previous application, Serial .No. 619,521, filed April 7, 1911.

in my improved construction, I employ a series of cylinders mounted to rotate around a stationary shaft, the cylinder pistons being connected to vary their speed-of travel around-the axis of rotation with reference to the cylinders, whereby the reciprocating movement of the pistons within the cylinders necessary thisclass of engines is ob tained. The cylinders are rigidly mounted on the rotary structure, but the pistons are connected through the instrumentalityof a relatively long arm extending radially in opposite directions from the center-of motion, with a stationary crank with which the shaft-is equipped. Connected witht-he oppo'site extremities of this arm are rods, whose opposite extremities are respectively-connected with the pistons of the two-cylinders, assuming-that the construction includes two cylinders only, as illustrated in the drawing. Pitmen lead from the said crankto two pairs of toggle links, the extremity of each pitman, remote from the crank, being connectcd with-the ivot connecting the members ofj'eachipmrpfdinksl One of these links'iof each" pair is pivotally connected with-"a cylinder of the structure, while'the otherdi nk ispivotally'connected with the said arm between the center of motion and the connection of the latter with thepiston By virtue of this construction, as the 7 cylinders rotate underthe influence of s11c cessiveexplosions, which occur alternately therein, the movement oirthe pistons is varied to produce the necessary reciprocating motion with reference to the cylinders, as heretofore explained.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction, I will proceed to describe the same indetail,-,-re fenence being made to the accompanying drawing, in which is. illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In th1s :drawing: Figure 1 isa .top plan view of the structure shown partly in sect1on. This view would be obtained'by lookmg the direction of arrow 1, Fig.3, assmiling that the circular housing is shown in sectlon. Fig. 2 iso section, taken on the line '2--3, Fig.- 1. 'Fig. 3 is a section, taken on the same line with the parts in different relative positions. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line H, Fig.1. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the mechanism looking in the d rection of arrow 5, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic-view illustrating the spark plug circuit.

- The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

.Let the: numoralpfi designate oppositelylo eted end members constituting a framework-in which a main shaft 6 .is mounted, being place by means of boxes 7. Mounted-to rotate onthe shaft near opposite extremities thereof are hollow hubs 8 and .9, which communicate with the opposite hollow extremities 10 and 12 of the shaft. The-member 8 receives the explosive mixture through the hollow portion 10 at one.end of the shaft, which is in communication with the carbureter (not shown) of the-engine. From: this member 8, the explosive mixture is carried through conduits 13 to valves 14, which are in communication with the bottoms or inner extremities of the cylinders 15 through the medium of short pipes 16-. The hub member 8 is mounted on the shaft in such ama'nner as to ,form a fluid-tight joint therearoundto prevent the possible leakage of the "explosive mixture, as it passes from the hollow portion 10 of the shaft through openings 17 into the conduits 13. "This is accomplished by the em:

1 ployment of two stuffing boxes 18 and 19, applied to the opposite extremities of the said hub. When the engine is in o eration,

' the hubs Sand 9 rotate on the sh t, carryindicated, control the inlet of the explosive mixture to the-inner extremities of the cylinders. Each of these valve structures is composed (see Fig. 4) of a casing 20, havseated, closing a perforation 27 in the partition 21, the said partition being fashioned around the said perforation to form a beveled seat for the valve.

The inner extremity of each casing 20 is equipped with a stufling box 28 through:

When the which the valve stem 25 passes. explosive mixture enters t e caslng, 1t passes directly to thexzhamber 23 from the pipe As soon as thevalve is opened, the explosive mixture passes; through the opening 27 into the compartment 22 and thence to the inner t extremity of the engine cylinder 15. Each valve throug the medium of a spring 29, one extremity of which'engages'the stuffing box end of the casing, while 1ts opposlte extremity engages a stop 30 adjustable on the stem by means of a set screw 31. The inner extremity of each stem 25 is equipped with a roller 32, which engages a collar 33 fast on the shaft 6, the said collar being equipped with a cam 35, whereby, the cylinders and the induction valve mechanisms rotate, the two valve pieces 26 are intermittently and alternately opened to permit of entranceof explosive mixture to the inner extremities of the respective cylinders.

The valve mechanism for exhausting the burned gases from the cylinders, the same being located at the left of Fig. 1, is the same as that for controlling the introduction of the explosive mixture to. the cylinders, and the parts of said mechanism are given the same reference characters; and, while the exhaust valve mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 4, being the only :view in which the mechanism for controllingthe induction and exhaust is 'illustratedythis view may be also referred to for the construction of the induction valve mechanism, for the reason just explained. In thisview, the cam 35 is dotted to indicate thatvit is on the oppos'ite' side of thecylinders, a cam .34 being' employed for opening the valve pieces 26 for exhaust purposes,-the cams 35 and 34 being so arranged as to properly time the induction'and exhaust as will be readily understood. The hollow structure'9 receives. the 1 ings 38, passing thence out of the shaft to the atmosphere, as indicated by the arrows at the left of Fig. 1. The hollow hub 9 is mounted on the shaft to form a fluid-tight joint by means of smiling boxes 39 and 40, located at the opposite extremities thereof.

1piece 26 is held normally closed;

As illustrated in the drawing, the engine may be started by manually or otherwise rotating a shaft 41 journaled. in one of the -rframe members 5, as shown at 42, the said shaft carrying a gear 43, meshing with a similar gear 44, fast on the hub 9. Applied to the opposite hub 8 is a pulley 45 from which power may be taken from the engine,

the said pulley being mounted to rotate in harmony with the engine structure, as will be readily understood.

The cylinders 15, while connected with the hubs 8 and 9, as heretofore explained, are further supported and connected in operative relation with each other by means of a circular housing 46, which centrally surrounds the cylinders and the adjacent engine structure, the structure being reinforced, as shown at 47, between the outer walls of the cylinders and the circular housing, the said housing being secured to the cylinders through the medium of the reinforcing members 47, suitable fastening devices, as screws 48, being passed through the housing into the members 47.

, Centrally journaled on the shaft 6 is a relatively long arm 49, the said'arm being equipped with a central collar 50, directly engaging the shaft. To the opposite extremities .of this arm 49 are pivotally connected, asshown' at 52, the outer extremities of rods 51, whose -inner extremities are pivotally connected, as shown at 53, to pistons 54 mounted to reciprocate within the chambers-55 of the cylinders.

' Each cylinder is equipped with a relatively long inwardly-projecting lug56 with which a link 57 is pivotally connected, as

shown at 58. This link 57-is pivotally connected, as shown at 59, with one extremity of a companion link 60, the opposite extremity of the last-named link being pivotally connected with the arm 49, as shown at 61,

the point of connection being intermediate the hub 50 and theplvot polnt 52 where the shaft 6. As illustrated in the drawing, the

mechanism just described is duplicated on the opposite sides of the cylinders, there being two pairs of links 57 and .60 for each 1 cylinder and a pair of pitmen 62, one on each side of the cylinder forv each of the latter.

As illustrated in the drawing, the cylinders 15 of the engine are so arranged as to properly, balance the structure, and, as only two cylinders are shown, they are arranged directly opposite each other with reference to the center of motion. It is, however, eviios dent that the structure is not limited .to two cylinders, since a greater number may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set-forth in the claims.

From'the foregoing description, it will be understood that, in starting the engine, or in its operation, after starting, the entire structure heretofore described as journaled on the shaft 6 will be rotated, and,-during this rotation, the travel of the cylinders will be uniform withreference to the conduits .13 and 37, together .with the inlet and exhaust valve mechanism and other parts with which the said conduits and cylinders are rigidly. connected. However, by virtue of the toggle link connection between the cylinders' and the arm 49 and the connection between each pair of toggle link members and the crank 64 through the medium. of the pitmen 62, t e t'ravel of the pistons around the center ofmotion will be varied in such a manner as to impart the necessary reciprocating movement to the pistons within the-,cylinders; For instance, it may be assumed thatthe mechanism is in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, when the engine starts, and it may ;.be assumed that the cylinder nearer the top of the sheet, or in the position A, is ;filled with burned gases and ready ,to exhaust, while the cylinder nearer the bottom ofthe sheet, or in the position B,

is filled with explosive mixture ready to be compressed. Now, as the cylinders move inthe' direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and-5, both pistons 54 mil begin to travel inwardly, theipfion of the cylinder in position A driving out'the burned gases throu h an outlet 16 and exhaust valve casing 14, t e conduit'37, the hollow hub 9 and the hollow part 120f the shaft to the atmosphere;;wh1le' the piston-54' of thecylinder inposition B will act to compress the ex losivemixture in the sand cylinder.

Fig. 3, I have-illustrated the relat ve positions of the'cylinders and theirpistons, afte the cylinders have made a quarter revolution from the position illustrated'in Fig.

2. Inother-w-ords, the cylinder, which was originally in position A, has reachedposition Gr, while the cylinder, which was ori%- 5 inally in position B, has reached position both pistons having traveled lnwardly to their limit, or approximately their limit, of movement, the burned gases havmgbeen expulled from the cylinder which is now in osition C, while the explosive mixture has en compressed'in the cylinder now in position D. It may now be assumed that the compressed gas in the cylinder in position D is exploded, with the result 'that an' im pulse in the direction of rotatlon is mparted'to. the rotatablepart of the engine structure, and, during the travel of the cylinders from the positions 0 and'D to thegiositionfi' ers w B .and A, respectively, the cylin travel faster than the pistons, and, conse quently, the latter will move outwardly, and, when the cylinder, which is shown in position G in 3, has reached the position B in Figs. 2, 4 and "5, its piston will have reached its outward limit of movement. and a charge of explosive mixture will have been drawn 'thereinto from the carbureter (not shown) through then-hollow portion 10 of the shaft, one of the conduits 13, a valve casing; 414 .and a short conduit 16. Again, the cylinder,-,w-hich is in position '1) in Fig. 3, will have reached the position A in Figs.

- 2, 4 and 5 by the time the cylinder in position G in Fig. 3 has reached the position B I in the previously named views; and, during the travel of the cylinder from the position TD to the-position A, its piston has moved outwardly and, the cylinder is filled with burned gases ready to exhaust. as heretofore explained.

68 secured to the hub of the .pulley 45 by means ofbolts 69, while, from the opposite plug 65, a-cOnductor 70 leads to a similarmetal rif1g71, also carried by the insulating ductor 79.mo'unted on the frame member 5;

but insulated therefrom. From this member 79, a conductor leads to theinduction coil 76. However, the complete spark lug circuit i's illustrated only in Fig. 6 of the drawing, which, as heretofore stated, is a diagrammatic view, to which reference will now be made. In this view, the numeral 81 designates a battery, from one pole 82 of which .a conductor 83 leads to the engine, frame, being connected therewith at apoint- :84, while, from the opposite-pole'85 of the '-battery,-.a conductor 86 leads to the induction coil 76.- Again, this same coil vis con nected by means of conductors 87 and -88 with insulated. contacts 89 and 90, respectively, vthesaid contacts being mounted on theengine frame and adapted to bealter-i jna'tely and intermittently engaged by a spring member 91, carried by the gear 43.-

Q .In the foregoing description, I have outlined in a general way the spark plug circuit through the medlum of which the ex- The inner extremity of each cylinder is I equipped with a spark plug 65, which is Q properly connected in an electrical circuit for automatically producing a spark in the cylinder at the moment that the explosive mix ,ture is properly compressed. From one of these spark plugs, a conductor 66 leads to a metal ring 67 mounted on an insulating disk In a-rotary explosive engine, the com bination with a shaft havinga crank, of a cylinder mounted to I rotate around said shaft, a piston arranged-to reciprocate in said cylinder, an arm journaled on the shaft to rotate independentlyrof the cylinder, a togglejointconnectionbetween thesaid arm and the cylinder, and a'link connection between-thecrank of the shaft andi tlie said toggle joint.

2. Ina rotary explosive engine, the combination with a shafthav ing" a'--crank', of a plurality of cylinders mounted to II'otate aroundithe said shaft, pistons arranged 'to reciprocatein said cylinders, a hub 'jour-'- naled on the shaft and equipped with radial arms arranged to rotate independently of the cylinders, "toggle' jointconnections between the said radial arms and the respective cylinders, and link connections between the crankof the shaft and all of the said toggle joints, substantially as described.

3.'In a rotary explosive/engine .thecombination'with a shaft having a crank of a cylinder mounted to rotate around said shaftgsaid cylinder being so arranged that itsproduced axis does not intersect the center of motion, a piston arranged to reciprocate in said cylinder, an arm journaled on the shaft to rotate independently of the cylinder, a toggle joint connection between the said arnr and the cylinder and a link connection between the crankof. the shaft and the said toggle joint.

4;In a rotary explosive engine, the combination withashaft having a crank of a plurality of cylinders mounted to rotate around the shaft and so arranged that their produced axes do not intersect the center of motion, pistons arranged to reciprocate in the shaft and equipped with radial arms ar ranged to rotate independently ofthe cylinders, toggle joint connections between the said radial arms and the respective cylinders, and link connections between the crank of the shaft and all of the said toggle joints, substantially as described.

In a rotary explosive engine'thecombination with a stationary shaft having a crank of a cylinder mounted to rotate continuously around the shaft the said cylinder being so arranged that its produced axis will not'intersect the axis of rotation a piston mounted to reciprocate insaid cylin crank, ofa plurality of cylinders mounted to rotate continuously around the shaft, the:

cylinders being-so'arrang'ed that their pro= duced axes do not intersect'the axisof rotation, pistons arranged -to'reci proca'te in' the i respectivecylinders a hub journaled on the shaft and equipped with radial arms arranged to rotate independently of the cylin- =ders,'togg'le joint connections b'etween the said radial arms and the'respective cylinders, and link connections'between the crank of the shaft and all of-the said toggle joints, .substantially as described.

I 7. In a rotary explosive engine, th, com-- ;'bination with a stationary shaft-having a :crank, of a plurality of cylinders mounted to rotate continuously around the shaft} the. 1cylinders'being so arranged that their axes do'not intersect the "axis of rotation, pistons arranged to reciprocate in said cylin- 'ders a hub journaled on the shaft and equipped with radial arms arranged toro- ,tate independently of the cylinders, toggle ,joint connections between the said rad al. arms and the respectivecylinders, and-link connections between the crank of the shaft and all of the said toggle. joints, substan'- ;tially as described, valves for admitting ex plosive mixture tothe cylinders, and valves for permitting thefescap'e of the products of combustion, substantially as described.

8. In a'rotary explosivee'ngine', the comcylinder does not intersect the axis of the shaft, a piston arranged to reciprocate in said cylinder, an arm ournaled on the shaft to rotate independently of the cylinder, a

toggle joint connection between the said arm and the cylinder, and. a link connection between the crank of the shaft and the said toggle joint, substantially as described. therespective cylinders, a hub ournaled on v 9. In 'a' rotary explosive engine, the combination with a stationary shaft having a crank, of a plurality of cylinders mounted to rotate around "said shaft, pistons arranged to reciprocate in the respective "cylinders, a hub journaled on the shaft'to'rotate independently of the cylinders, arms radiating from said hub, a toggle joint 'connection between the said arms and the respective cylinders, and links connecting the said crank of the shaft with the toggle joints of the respective cylinders, substantially as described.

10. In an explosive engine, the combina tion with a shaft and a crank/ xed thereon of a cylinder rotatably mounted with respect to said shaft, a piston arranged to reciprocate in said cylinder, an arm rotatably mounted on the shaft independently of the cylinder, a toggle joint connection between the said arm and cylinder, and a link connection between the crank of the shaft and the said toggle joint.

11. In an explosive engine, the combination with a shaft and a crank fixed thereon of a cylinder rotatably mounted with respect to said shaft, a piston arranged to reciprocate in said cylinder, an arm rotatably mounted on the shaft, independently of the cylinder, a double link connection between the said arm and cylinder, and a link connection between the crank of the shaft and the middle pivot point of said double link connection.

12. In a rotary explosive engine, the combination with a shaft having a crank, of a cylinder mounted to rotate around said shaft, said cylinder being so disposed that its center line produced does not intersect the axis of rotation, a piston arranged to till reciprocate in said cylinder, an arm journaled on the shaft to rotate independently of the cylinder, a toggle joint connection between the said arm and the cylinder, and

a link connection between the crank of the shaft and the said toggle joint.

13. In a rotary explosive engine, the combination with a shaft having a crank, of a cylinder mounted to rotate around said shaft and so disposed that the center line of the cylinder does not intersect the axis of the shaft, a piston arranged to reciprocate in said cylinder, an arm journaled on the shaft to rotate independently of the cylinder, a toggle joint connection between the oLoF r. nnevrs'r.

Witnesses:

F. E. BownN, ALBERT OBRIEN. 

